A Valentine's Day Gift Remembered

Love... likely the most effective word in any language. This basic four letter word has caused conflict, treachery, and insanity, but it can also cause peace, unforeseen experiences, and unsurpassed creativity. How does it come to be that something that may be so great can drive us to such bad? The French, regarded for romance, have many remarkable love stories to tell. Take the story of the sculptor Rodin and his sweetheart Camille Claudel. Claudel worked for Rodin when they fell in love. His unwillingness to abandon his wife for her made Claudel insane and she demolished A good deal of her sculptures during periods of paranoia which was a symptom of her schizophrenia. Claudel spent the last 30 years of her life in an institution. How could a force that can drive someone to such intense levels of anguish be the one thing that we all need in our lives? However, let us take a look another french couple. Voltaire and Emilie du Chatelet carried on a 15 year long romance which was scorned by the public, but allowed by Chatelet's husband, the Marquis Florent-Claude du Chatelet. Chatelet and Voltaire shared a strong academic bond and spent time philosophizing together, collecting books for the library, and providing feedback on each other's findings in mathematics and science. Their shared values and faithfulness to each other fueled their love even after she passed away. At the time of her death, Voltaire wrote of Chatelet, "It is not a mistress I have lost but half of myself, a soul for which my soul seems to have been made." In spite of her arranged marriage to the Marquis, the relationship between Chatelet and Voltaire was allowed and not envied. They were the topic of ridicule but were permitted to spend their lives together in shared respect. Their story illustrates love in its preferred form. In my opinion, love is the one thing worth living for. Whether it's love of kin, love of something, or love for a spouse, an absence of love life is empty. Maybe this is why love can bring us to such extremes. For some people, love is worth dying for. For others, it is worth living for. As Valentine's Day approaches love is on everyone's minds. I wish everyone a beautiful love story overflowing with all the best love presents and none of the worst. This Valentine's Day, reveal your love with a Valentine Wine Gift Basket from Baskets By Rita.Send a Valentine's day wine gift basket with a bottle of white wine, two wine glasses and a compliment of assorted munchies. Chardonnay Havarti Cheese spread, Beef Summer Sausage, Gourmet Crackers, Smoked Gouda Cheese, Trail Mix, Caramel corn, Cookies, Chocolove dark chocolate bar with a love poem on the label, snack mix, and milk chocolate truffles. Everybody needs a little reminder sometimes of simply how much we are loved. If you like this blog, be sure to forward it on via Twitter or Facebook. Thanks a bunch!